Drops of Jupiter
by Ira Vehementi
Summary: While waiting for Little Planet, Sonic explores patience with Shadow.


**Drops of Jupiter : Paitence**

Authoress: Ira Vehementi/Umi-Chao

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog

Special thanks: Train, the group that wrote Drops of Jupiter. The lyrics aren't in this, don't worry; I don't do song fics. D:

A/N: I wrote this for a contest on TinierMe, where I am pretty much always an absolute jerk. But... so yeah, I did this and I was okay with it, so here it is. I'm sorry everyone who put me on their author alert and then realized this has nothing to do with Orchestral Infatuation. I wish I had inspiration for that fiction... Anyway. Do enjoy this for what it is.

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Patience had always been Shadow's strong point. Shadow was aware that only fools rush in and Sonic knew this had helped Shadow come to the conclusion that Knuckles was a fool, given how ridiculously easily Knuckles could be fooled by people. Patience was a virtue.

Sonic wasn't patient—not as patient as Shadow anyway—but he was willing to try. He was willing to sit by Never Lake with Shadow every once in a while. They never really spoke to each other, but Sonic understood after awhile that Shadow was happy for his company. Patience was lonely.

Sonic often wondered what they were waiting for. "Hey, Shad," he said, startling the darker hedgehog from his daze. "What are we waiting here for?"

Shadow made a noncommittal noise, as if he was entertaining the thought of answering Sonic. Finally he replied, "We're waiting for Little Planet."

"Oh? You know about that?" Sonic's eyes widened. "I had no idea you were aware of its existence."

Shadow shrugged. "I know about it," he said, softly, his features softening. "I've always sort of known about it."

"What does that even mean?" Sonic wondered. "Didn't you lose your memory sometime ago?"

"You're not very sympathetic, are you?" Shadow grumbled. Sonic nervously chuckled. "Yes, I lost my memory. But I've learned a lot about myself since that time."

"Oh?" Sonic grinned. "Like?"

Shadow looked at him. "What's it to you?" he asked, seemingly amused. "Do I interest you now?"

"Ha! I've always been interested in you." Sonic laughed. "I just don't sit down and talk to you about it."

"I see," Shadow smirked, shaking his head. "Very well," he decided. "I suppose I could tell you what I've learned."

"Sure! Yeah!" Sonic's tail wagged excitedly at this.

"But what would be the point?" Shadow stared at the lake. "You can't understand."

"What?!" Sonic exclaimed. "Are you calling me stupid again?"

"Trust me, I learned from the first time. I would just outright call you stupid if that were the case," Shadow chuckled. Sonic glared at the older hedgehog, who held up a hand and tried to stop being an absolute prick (Sonic could've told him how badly he was failing in that regard). "Okay, okay. Just stop looking at me like that."

Sonic still leveled his glare at Shadow, who settled for random snorts of laughter. It was true that Sonic hadn't seen this side to Shadow since Shadow was always brooding, but he didn't expect Shadow to be so amiable. "Well, come on!" Sonic complained.

"Patience," Shadow managed, between chuckles. Sonic scowled. Patience was hard.

"It isn't that funny."

"Obviously you've never seen yourself," Shadow snickered. Sonic took this time to note that Shadow's laughs were all low and dark sounding usually but when he was finding Sonic's ,discomfort amusing, his laugh was a lot less cruel. Rouge could probably take a lesson from this. "There's a girl who lives on that planet." Shadow said, suddenly. He was still smiling—not smirking!—and Sonic nodded, quietly waiting for him to continue. "She's a little fox, like Tails. Doesn't have two tails, though. She's all alone on that planet," Shadow had stopped laughing by now and his smile was a bit wistful. "That girl and I are kindred spirits."

"How so?"

Shadow shrugged. "I just feel like we are," he said, looking annoyed. Obviously he had not wanted to mention this to Sonic.

"Jeez, way to get your panties in a bunch," Sonic lay down on his stomach. "So, you're waiting for the planet so that you can see her?"

"Sort of," Shadow said, looking into the sky. "I'm waiting for the planet to see her… but I'm really worried for her. She can't be older than Tails is now."

"What's she doing on Little Planet anyway?"

"She doesn't know," Shadow mumbled. "She said that she didn't know why she was there, but that she's been there for a long time."

"Can't have been when I was on there. There were no people."

"You went to Little Planet?" Shadow sounded surprised.

"Hey! I'm asking the questions," Sonic chuckled. "So you're waiting for your friend, huh."

"Yeah," Shadow looked suspiciously at Sonic. "When did you go to Little Planet?"

"I hardly see how that's any of your business," Sonic teased. Shadow gave him an annoyed look, but it looked like he'd eaten something bad and incredibly sour. Sonic burst into gales of laughter.

"Honestly," Shadow said loudly, over Sonic's ruckus. It took about three minutes for Sonic to calm down.

"Jesus, your face!" Sonic cried, wiping tears from his eyes. "Man… you're something else, Shad. A real riot."

"Whatever," Shadow muttered sourly, but he didn't look too upset.

"When your friend comes, what are you going to do?" Sonic asked seriously.

"I don't know. I'm just worried that she's hurt," Shadow said, bringing one leg up and resting his elbow on it. "I… wondered if she was lonely."

"Lonely?" Sonic frowned. "Oh… so I guess she is like you."

"What does that even mean?" Shadow parroted. Sonic laughed.

"She definitely is lonely, Shad. Just like you were."

"Hm?"

"Maybe she realized that you were lonely and that's why she spoke to you?" Sonic wondered.

"I'm not lonely," Shadow objected.

"You're the loneliest guy I know," Sonic chuckled softly. He lifted himself up onto his elbows. " But you're a nice guy, waiting for a little girl to keep her from being lonely." Shadow turned away. Sonic grinned, chuckling. "So what did you learn about yourself?"

Shadow coughed and said nothing for a long time. Sonic patently waited, watching as Shadow's tail flicked through the soft green grass. "I learned that I could feel," he said gruffly, obviously very embarrassed. "I could… empathize."

Sonic nodded. The two of them were silent for a little longer. The sky darkened with clouds threatening to storm and Sonic stared up at them, growing sleepy. "Hey, Shad," he said. Shadow made a soft noise of recognition. "I never believed you were an android," Sonic said truthfully. "Just a guy who was lost."

Shadow said nothing. Sonic nearly fell asleep but suddenly, quietly, Shadow's voice sailed on the calm air before the clouds grew heavy and cried.

"Thank you."

Patience was amazing.


End file.
